Give a Gift of Reading

Thanks to the generous contributions of individual donors from around the world through the GlobalGiving campaign, Sun Books is steadily expanding its literacy intervention in Abuja, reaching internally displaced children in the IDP communities of New Kuchingoro and Karomajiji. These include IDP Sharing Prosperity School and Lola Cater Academy. The initiative is anchored in a broader vision to restore hope and expand learning opportunities for children across five IDP camps whose education has been disrupted by conflict and displacement. Despite learning in severely under-resourced settings, often lacking proper classrooms, books, and furniture, the children continue to demonstrate a strong desire to learn, underscoring the urgency and importance of the intervention.

The programme is implemented five days a week through structured, daily small-group sessions involving 20 to 30 pupils. In these sessions, trained Sun Books Implementation Officers guide learners through engaging literacy activities that blend phonics instruction with interactive learning. A central feature of the intervention is the use of durable, solar-powered devices, which provide access to a diverse range of reading materials and introduce learners to new worlds of knowledge and imagination, especially for those with little or no prior access to books. Teachers and volunteers are also equipped to effectively use supporting platforms such as Learning Village and Hello Computer, ensuring that technology enhances, rather than replaces, teacher-led instruction.

Key programme activities include structured literacy delivery using the Jolly Phonics methodology, complemented by tablet-based reading sessions aligned with phonics progression. Continuous learner assessment has enabled the successful introduction of differentiated reading groups, ensuring that instruction is tailored to each child’s learning level, from foundational sound recognition to sentence construction and reading fluency. Furthermore, we've completed preparatory work to expand our teacher training program so educators can sustain and deepen literacy gains in these challenging contexts. Ongoing documentation, including photos and videos, continues to capture learner progress and amplify the voices and stories emerging from the camps.

The outcomes recorded so far reflect both tangible progress and the project's transformative potential. Approximately 60 percent of participating pupils have advanced from basic sound recognition to forming words and constructing sentences, marking a critical milestone in their literacy journey. Learners are increasingly confident reading short sentences, demonstrating improved fluency, comprehension, and enthusiasm for learning. Beyond academic gains, the intervention is helping children to imagine new possibilities for their future, while reinforcing a powerful message that they are seen, supported, and not forgotten. By combining digital innovation with teacher empowerment, the project not only improves literacy outcomes but also restores dignity, hope, and a renewed sense of purpose among some of the most vulnerable learners.